Envelope moistener



June 5, 1923.

A. J. SCHAUB, SR

ENVELOPE MOI STENER Filed Oct. 28. 1921 hu avafaw firmso J. 30/405, 5.

Fatented June 5, 1923.

ALFRED J. SCHAUB, SR., 015 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ENVELOZE MOISTENER.

Application filed October 28, 1921. Serial No. 511,164.

T 0 all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. SoHAUB, Sn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Oakland, county of Alameda, and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Envelope Moistener, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in envelope moisteningdevices and is designed for the purpose of facilitating the work ofsealing envelopes in large quantities. A particular object of myinvention is the combination of means for opening the em velope with themoisteningmeans and the means for draining surplus moisture from theenvelope after the latter has passed the moistening means. A furtherobject of my invention is to provide means of the character describedwhich can be cheaply constructed and is economical in its use.

)Vith these objects in mind I have shown the preferred form of my devicein the accompanying drawing, in which Figure represents a side elevationof my device; Figure 2 a vertical cross section through the same alongline 22 of Figure 1; Figure 8 a top plan view of the same, the positionof an envelope being shown in dotted lines, and Figure a an enlargedsectional detail view along line 4 4: of Figure 3.

While the drawing shows the preferred form of my invention only, it willbe readily understood that slight changes or modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the present invention.

My device rests on the base (1) and comprises a box (2) which may bepartly filled with water and which has a frame structure (3) thereinprovided with two axially alined bearings (4:) in which revolves theshaft (6) supporting the drum (7). The drum is covered with a layer (8)of wick fabric or similar material and is positioned in such a way thatits upper part slightly projects over the cover (9) of the box, a hole(11) in the cover (9) allowing the drum to extend through the cover. Thelatter is secured to the box by means of the hinges (12) and is providedwith an upwardly curved extension (14), a slight pressure on the latterextension being suflicient to turn the cover on its hinges so as to openthe box.

To use my device the operator will take an envelope to be sealed, placethe right side of the margin of the flap on the drum which has beenpreviously moistened and then pull the envelope from left to right sothat the edge portion of the flap passes over the drum and receivesmoisture from the same. This being the main principle of my device, Iprovide several auxiliary means for facilitating this operation. One ofthese means consists in a. simple device for opening the envelope which1t is assumed is loosely folded. The cover (9) is provided at the endopposite its hinges with a projection (16) slightly curved downwardly asshown in Figure 1 and round ed off as shown in Figure 3. Over thisprojection extends the free end of a spring (17), the other end of whichis secured to the box in any convenient manner. If the loosely foldedenvelope is inserted between the spring and the projection, approachingthe same from the left hand side the projection, while passingunderneath the body portion of the envelope, will engage the flap andforce its way between the flap and the envelope, and as the envelope isfurther advanced the flap coming in contact with the edge of theprojection will be slowly forced into the plane of the envelope so thatthe flap is now open and ready to pass over the drum to receive itsmoisture. It is understood that in the'ordinary envelope commonly usedonly the edge of the flap is provided with glue and that it is desiredto confine the moisture to that portion. To accomplish this I provide asmall are (18) on the near side of the drum. The are as shown in Figure1 is slightly higher than the drum and the body portion of the envelopehaving to pass over this are is kept out of contact with the drum so asto remain perfectly dry.

The drum rotates with the envelope and in doing so passes through thewater in the box, thus receiving a constant supply of new moisture. Inmany cases the flap of the envelope might receive more moisture than isnecessary for the sealing of the envelope. Since this is undesirable Iprovide a means for draining the surplus moisture from the flap beforethe latter is sealed, which con sists of an inclined plate (19) securedon the cover of the box in such a manner that the flap after passing thedrum has to pass over the same, and I further provide a spring (21)which extends over the top edge of the inclined plate and which isadapted to press down on the envelope flap passing over the inclinedplate. The spring (21) is provided with a longitudinal slot (22) runningparallel to the top edge of the inclined plate which makes it possibleto position the spring somewhat lower than could be done otherwise sothat the two edges (23) and (24) defining the slot are almost on a levelwith the top edge of the inclined plate and that the flap forced betweenthe plate and the spring is pressed downwardly by the two edges and.(-2.4): on both sides of the top edge of the inclined plate as shown inFigure a, whereby surplus moisture. is drained from the flap in a mosteffective manner.

To press the flap passing the drum, firmly against the same so that itwill absorb moisture I provide a weight (26) which is pivotallysupported on the arm (27) pivoted in the bracket (28) secured to theside of the box in any manner desired; The weight in its active positionlies on the peripheral surface of the drum and the envelope flap to bemoistened has to pass between the weight and the drum and will naturallybe pressed against the drum by the weight while lifting the same.

I claim:

1. An envelope moistening device comprising a rotatably mountedmoistening drum, :1 self-adjusting contact maintaining memberco-operating therewith, means for opening the envelope flap and meansfor removing surplus moisture associated therewith so as to allow of theinsertion of the folded envelope and the opening, moistening anddraining of the flap in one continuous operation.

An envelope moistening device comprising arotatably mounted moisteningdrum, an arched support for the body portion of the envelope flapmounted in operative proximity thereto, a self-adjusting contactmaintaining member co-operating with the drum, means for opening theenvelope flap and means for removing surplus moisture associated withthe drum so as to allow of the insertion of the folded envelope and theopening, moistening and draining of the flap in one continuousoperation.

3. In an envelope moistening device, a rotat-ably mounted moisteningdrum and a surplus moisture draining means associated therewith, saidmeans comprising a plate member declining toward the drum having aspring member co-operating with its top,

edge for pressing the moistened envelope against the said edge.

4:. In anenvelope moistening device a rotatably mounted moistening drumand a surplus moisture draining means associated therewith, said meanscomprising a plate member declining toward the drum having a slottedspring; member co-operating with the top edge so .,tha-t the two edgesdefining the slot bend: the passing envelope around the top edge of theplate member.

5. In an envelope moistening device, a rotatably mounted moisteningdrumand an envelope opening means operatively associated therewith. saidmeans comprising a thin projection mounted in operative proximity to thedrum adapted to force itself between the flap and the body ot theenvelope and a spring mounted over theprojection for holding the bodyportion against the projection whereby the flap is forced in the sameplane with the body portion on guiding the envelope toward the drum.

ALFRED J. SCHAUB, SR.

